


She Loves Me

by unpocowboys



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Making Love, Outdoor Sex, Sex, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2020-10-27 04:38:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20754467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unpocowboys/pseuds/unpocowboys
Summary: Sean says that Karen has been pining after him, but he fails to mention just how much he pines after her as well. How I imagine the two different tent dialogue scenes going in the context of their relationship. Takes place in a world where nothing bad happens to either. The gang lives happily ever after in my imaginary bubble. I'm going to add more chapters as I come up with them, so stay tuned!





	1. Here We Go Again

**Author's Note:**

> My first go at Sean and Karen. I adore these two and am ready to help fill in this side of the fandom gap as I continue to obsessively write about Kieran and Mary-Beth. I'm bad at his Irish dialect, pls forgive me. Enjoy!

Sean loved Karen's hot-blooded nature, her bad mouth, her bouncy blonde curls. He just plain loved all of her. The trouble was properly showing it. Sean only knew how to be obnoxious in everything that he did, much to Karen's dismay. 

When he was rescued, Karen was not in line to greet him. She was angry at him for being careless and selfish enough to continue getting into trouble. Even so, Karen was secretly relieved that he was home. She missed his quirky habits, the way he couldn't talk without being heard from miles away, his pretty ginger hair. 

During Sean's "Welcome Home" party, nearly everyone in camp got drunk, especially Sean. He hobbled over to a table with Karen, Bill, and Javier. 

"Uh oh, here comes trouble," Karen warned the rest of the table.

Sean drunkingly joined the table, zeroing in on Karen. 

"Karen, you're looking lovely as ever, if I may say so," he boldly proclaimed. 

"Oh, stop it," she said, thankful the night hid the blush on her cheeks. 

They all chatted a while before heading towards the campfire, the sound of music inviting them to celebrate. Sean sat down on a crate and motioned for Karen to sit on his lap. They both held on as tightly to their beers as each other as they sang along joyfully. 

After many, MANY more drinks, the two found each other hanging around a tree behind the wagon. 

"Admit ya' love me, admit it and I'll stop annoyin' ya," Sean stumbled out.

"I'll admit nothin'!" Karen fiercely asserted.

"You loooooove me..."

"I'd rather love a snake." 

Sean gently grasped her arm, pulling her in. "Come here..." He drew her in for a kiss, which she reciprocated without any fight. That was until Sean tried shoving his tongue down her throat. Karen pushed him away and slapped him. He touched his cheek and laughed, and she playfully ran off. 

"She loves me," he announced to anyone that would listen. "I'm the happiest man alive!" 

He sunk down to the ground, still clutching his bottle. She eventually returned and he stood to greet her. 

"There she is...the finest lady I know," he greeted her, bowing extravagantly. 

"I HATE you, you Irish bastard," Karen mumbled out, drunker than ever. 

"Ah, come here..."

"You hate me too, I can see it in your eyes..." she slurred.

Sean tenderly grabbed both of her hands. "I LOVE you."

Karen sniffled. "You only love me when you're drunk!"

"Well, you're always awful superior when we're sober..."

Karen paused for a moment. "Come on, then..." she grumbled, taking his hand. 

Sean chuckled in satisfaction, letting the blonde goddess lead him towards Marston's tent. 

"I HATE you, you know that. I hate you." Karen insisted. 

Sean kept smiling and laughing mischievously. When she lead him in the tent, he closed the flaps behind them. 

"It's alright, John's tent," Sean observed. "Hasn't seen any action like this since nine months before young Jackie popped out!" 

"Sean..." Karen whined, but giggling with him. They laid on the ground together over the blankets and bedroll. 

"Move over, will ya'?" Sean said, scooting closer to her. He clumsily grabbed the front of her dress as he positioned himself on top of her. 

"What're you doing?" asked Karen, squirming beneath him. 

"Trying ta'...get these off," said Sean, attempting to get her undressed. He pinched her skin and she let out a yelp. He apologized before grinning in victory. 

"Oh der dey are! Look at them, magnificent, like the peaks of the Derryveagh!" 

"Shut up, you idiot," Karen laughed. She loved the way he eyed her breasts hungrily and complimenting them in his ridiculous way. He buried his nose into them, and then shook his head like a dog. 

"Hey, what are you doing?" asked Karen, confused and slowly becoming unaroused. 

"An old trick me da taught me!"

"Ugh, no! Don't...do that again." 

Even though Karen found whatever trick his "Da" taught him to be repulsive, she still giggled. 

Sean panicked, but only briefly. He didn't know how else to build her up, and figured it was time to break out the main event. Unzipping the front of his pants, he dug around and gripped his package, ready to blow her away. 

"Okay, okay, here we go. Miss Jones, meet MacGuire Junior!" Sean announced. He whipped him out expecting Karen to be amazed. She just stared back at it, not sure how to process it. 

"Is that it?" she said in shock. Karen supposed Sean's big personality made up for the lack of...his other personality. 

"Huh, you wait! He's a fighter!" Sean insisted. He hoisted up her skirt and pulled down her drawers. Sean aligned his hips with hers, but was having more difficulty than he anticipated. He must have poked her in every place other than her opening "Okay, no...that's not...there...no...guide me in here a bit, will ya'?" 

Karen rolled her eyes. "Jesus..." She grabbed MacGuire Junior and placed him in front of her correct entryway. 

"Oh, yes! Yes! You're a lovely woman," said Sean as he slid into her. They had made out before and were quite vulgar with each other, but tonight was the first night they lay together in such an intimate way. Sean was astounded by how she felt, nearly driven to tears by the connection. He couldn't believe he had finally gotten her alone and under him, just as he often dreamt about. "Yes, oh yes!" he breathed out. 

Meanwhile, Karen wasn't as enamored by the situation. The face he kept making was...uglier than sin. "Stop pullin' that face!" she ordered him as she barely felt him hit any part of her. 

He howled out her name, and she told him to shut up. Sean felt exhilarated by each thrust into her while Karen struggled to find any enjoyment with the way he wriggled over her, pushing and pinching in ways that shouldn't have been possible. 

But Sean was rapidly climbing to heaven. "Are ya' close?" he panted.

"Nowhere near!" Karen snapped back. 

Even so, Sean couldn't stop. He was caught off guard by the rapid way he spilled into her, once again howling like a dying coyote before announcing "Thar she blows!" 

Sean rolled off of her, catching his breath while seeing stars. "It's like all me worries have floated away." 

But Karen just felt like shit. Used again, like when she used to do sex work. She should have known he didn't really love her. She was just a place where he wanted to come once and be done. Karen let Sean's mess drip out of her and then quickly pulled up her drawers. She went to get up when Sean finally snapped back into reality. 

"Hey, where ya' goin'?" he called after her. 

"We're done, ain't we?" she groaned in disappointment, mostly in herself. 

"We certainly are, darlin'," he chuckled, clearly not picking up on her tone. 

The next morning, Karen was doing her chores when she heard him bellowing about something in the distance. She rolled her eyes and continued to wash the gang's shirts in a bucket. She walked over to hang one of the shirts on the clothing line when she felt someone pinch her behind.

"Mornin' to ya, Derryveagh," whispered a familiar, Irish drawl into her ear. 

Karen was enraged. She turned around and clocked Sean in the jaw hard enough to knock him to the ground. "Spare me your bullshit, MacGuire," she snarled, stomping away from him. 

"What 'ave I done?!" Sean shouted, following after her after he recovered from the blow. "Please, just tell me what's wrong." 

"Forget it, you're a fucking asshole!" Karen shouted at him, her voice cracking from the tears beginning to form. Grimshaw would be pissed to find her gone, but at the moment, Karen didn't care. She just had to get as far away from the Irish bastard as she could. 

He tried to follow after her, but Sean felt someone grab his shoulder, halting him in place. He turned to see Arthur standing there. 

"Da' hell ya doin', Morgan?" Sean said, fighting to get him to let go. 

"Saving your other front tooth from getting knocked out." 

"She just needs me ta' talk to her, Morgan, now let me go after me woman!" 

"I hardly think you impressed her enough last night to justify calling her that. You weren't exactly discreet." 

"I can't help dat ya' hung around, ya' old creep." 

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Sean, you've got a problem with seeing when you're being an ass."

"You're just mad 'cause I got arse and you're not gettin' any." 

"See, there you go again," scolded Arthur. "Don't you realize that you didn't stop to actually care about how Karen felt during her adventures with 'MacGuire Junior'?"

"What d'ya mean? I asked if she was gettin' close." 

"And you didn't hear her very clearly say no?" 

For once, Sean didn't have a comeback. He had heard her say no, but assumed that when he came, she would too. But he realized he never felt her with him. Suddenly he became more conscious of the images from the night before, the way she sulked out of the tent. The way he didn't check on her, didn't insist that she stay with him until she was satisfied, too. Sean rarely felt shame, but this was one of those rare moments. 

"You treated her like one of her old Johns, Sean." Arthur bluntly told him. 

Sean sunk further into shame. "Yer right, Arthur. That woman deserves so much better den what I gave her. I gotta fix it, right now." 

Before Sean stormed off, Arthur caught him again. "I'd wait a bit longer. Maybe get her later tonight, or you'll be snapped in half." 

Sean nodded. "Thank....thank ya', Arthur." 

Arthur only grunted and then walked away, leaving Sean staring longingly into the woods where his love had run off to. It was nightfall before Karen came back. Grimshaw stormed over to Karen, looking pissed as hell. 

"The hell were you, you lazy brat!" growled Grimshaw. 

"Just hit me, already," Karen sadly grumbled. Grimshaw saw a small tear trickle down her cheek. Instead of hitting her, Grimshaw pulled her into a hug. 

"Whatever happened, it's over now." Grimshaw told her. Karen sobbed into the front of her dress as Grimshaw rubbed her back. Susan could be one mean bitch, but she did love her girls. She kissed Karen on the forehead and wiped away her tears. "You're my strong girl. Now go get some rest, because you're making up your chores early in the morning."

Karen smiled sweetly. "Yes, Mrs. Grimshaw." Karen gave her one last hug and thanked her before heading to her bedroll. Karen's face quickly turned sour as she saw Sean sitting on top of it, waiting for her.

"You have five seconds before I punch you so hard, you'll forget who you are." she threatened. 

"I deserve dat. I really do." Sean admitted. "But give me a chance ta' talk ta' ya'." 

"Forget it, you stupid bastard," huffed Karen as she turned to go anywhere as long as it was far away from him. 

"I know I should 'ave treated ya' better," Sean called after her. She froze, but didn't turn around. "Even though I was drunk, I should 'ave been certain that you was enjoyin' yerself. I never meant to make you feel like ya' nothin' more than a good time. Ya' mean more den dat to me." 

Karen finally turned around, but still held a look of distrust and anguish. "Why are you lying to me? You ain't gettin' another round."

Sean wanted nothing more than to hold her close and comfort her, but he knew that he was the cause of her pain. It killed him to see her in so much distress. 

"I ain't blame ya' fer thinkin' I'm a liar. I've shown my love fer ya' in a shit way. If ya' give me another chance, I'll make it up ta' ya'." 

"Why would I _ever_ give you another chance? I'm done with these games, Sean. All you do is treat me like your whore and I'm done." 

Karen knew exactly how to cut him, and that was it. Sean felt hopeless. He didn't have much choice left. If he didn't convince her to stay, she'd probably never listen to him again. This was his last shot at keeping her. 

"Then let me show ya' I can treat ya' like a wife." Sean calmly said. 

Karen stopped in her tracks. "...what did you say?"

Sean felt a flash of hope in his chest. "Let me show ya' how I can treat ya' like the wonderful, powerful woman ya' are, the one I've hoped will be my wife some day. That is, if ya'd have me." 

She was frozen in place. Karen couldn't tell if he was trying to fool her or being geniune. But when she looked into his eyes, they were budding tears. 

"Can we please try again, Karen?" Sean pleaded. 

Karen looked hesitantly at him and then the ground. But she finally nodded. Sean cautiously approached her. He did not make a move or grab her like he normally would. Instead, he held out his hand. 

"I'd like ta' focus on makin' ya' happy, Miss Jones, if yer up fer it." 

By sheer Irish luck, she reached out to grasp it. This time he didn't gloat in victory. Instead, he gently took her hand and quietly led her to a quiet, mossy section of the woods. He didn't say a word, not even one joke. It was killing him, but he needed to shut himself up to recreate something special for her. 

Sean sat down in the moss and guided Karen down to his lap. He held her close as she reluctantly put her arms around his neck. His stubble brushed against her lips, and he softly pressed his lips to hers. Sean didn't dare try anything more adventurous until he was certain she would be okay with it. Karen felt his tongue knocking gently against her lips, and she opened her mouth just enough to let him in. He was careful when exploring, he wasn't sloppy like he normally was. Sean took his time, and Karen loved feeling the way he traced the roof of her mouth and tapped his tongue to hers. 

Karen sank into his lips and reached for his hair. Oh, how she loved his pretty red locks. The only good thing she could remember from their pitiful romp was his hair brushing her face each time he entered her. Karen drifted her fingers across his scalp and he groaned in appreciation against her lips. She giggled at the vibration. 

"Yer laugh is the sound of angels, Karen." he mumbled. "Even last night, there was nothing better than hearing ya giggle and say me name." 

Karen looked into his eyes which stared lovingly back into hers. Sean's eyes were green as the moss they sat on. Karen gave a small grin and he flashed a smile back. What a stupid, charming man he was. She may be a bigger idiot than ever after this, but so far, giving him a chance had been worth her while. 

Both of them were apprehensive about what came next. Sean lay her lovingly on to the ground, slinking down with her. Instead of fumbling on top of her, he was beside her, relishing the look in her eyes as he ran his hands over her curves. Sean gathered the fabric of her skirt in his hands, bunching it up until it revealed her drawers. Karen lifted herself to help him pull them down. Sean hadn't taken the time to examine the tuft of blonde guarding the sweet center of her hips. His fingers twirled in it, loving how they instinctively curled against his fingers. 

"Like lamb's wool..." he sighed. Karen laughed again. Sean's heart picked up its pace at the sound of his lover's happiness. His thumb nudged the top part of her sex and Karen let out a small mewl of delight. He circled around it, stimulating her most sensitive parts. Her hands fixated once more on his hair, twirling pieces around her fingers like a candy cane. Karen's fingers all had parts of Sean's hair wrapped around them like ribbons and she tugged them in delight when he touched her just so. 

Lusting for more, Sean dipped a finger into her. It was warm and achingly wet. He loostened his belt, becoming just as vulnerable and naked with her. With clear vision and obvious ecstasy from his love, Sean entered her without trouble this time. He lingered on the feeling of her wetness covering his modest length. Karen made a small whimper of contentment. 

"Does dat feel alright ta' ya', darlin'?" he asked. 

Karen just nodded. He put his fingers into her curls and he lightly began pumping in and out of her. He stopped for a moment, pausing to kiss her cheek. Karen was floored to see how caring and considerate Sean was being of her. She couldn't believe he was the same man who irritated her regularly at camp and sloppily fucked her the night before. Maybe they both needed to cut back on drinking. 

Sean wondered if he would actually enjoy the slower, senseous sex, and he was glad that he found wonderful new energy in a different method of lovemaking. It felt real, and though they were out in the wilderness, their movements were cautious and tame. 

"I've always liked ya', Karen," he confessed to her.

Karen's eyes welled up with tears and she choked out some sobs. Sean was alarmed, afraid that he had hurt her.

"Do ya' want me to stop?" he urgently pressed her. He was startled by how quickly she answered. 

"No, don't stop!" she cried out. Even so, Sean slowed his pace. Karen took in the feeling of his cock slowly kindling the warmth in her stomach, building it up to a bigger fire. She was still getting emotional. All her life, she wanted to be seen and desired by someone who truly loved her, like the men Mary-Beth read about or at least someone who didn't pay her afterwards. Oh, how badly she wanted it to be Sean. 

"I just...want someone...to see me!" she whimpered. 

"I see ya, Karen!" he loudly cried. They both were in tears over the intimacy they shared. Sean's breath warmed Karen's neck as he nuzzled his head into the crook. Her hands held on to his back as he incited a new momentum in his thrusts. Sean tried desperately hard to keep them even, but slipped up. Even so, he felt her walls clench his member. He resisted the urge to plow into her and get filthy. If he did things right tonight, he might get an eternity's worth of moments to explore lovemaking of all kinds with her. 

"Me angel, how are you coming along?" he said, still keeping up his thrusts. 

"Close, very close," she whispered back. It was true, Karen had never felt so turned on before in all of her years on Earth. It was that soothing, selfless side of Sean that escalated her close into closure. A gasp rattled out of her as her lower body exploded with tingling. Sean was close behind, allowing himself to go over the edge only when she had gone first. 

He took his place at her side, kissing her forehead. "I love ya', Karen Jones." Sean said, breathless and sincere. "Don't ya' ever doubt I love ya' with all me heart." 

Karen said nothing, but internally, she was trying to process his authentic confession to her. Sean had truly made up for the other night, but how long would this act last before he became the grabby, immature man she had always known? She couldn't fully trust him, not yet anyway. So instead of returning his confession, Karen nodded. 

Sean was a nervous wreck inside, wondering if this had been enough to keep her near. While he had won the battle, the war was still raging inside of her. She hiked up her underwear and got up, beginning her journey back to camp. 

"Yer going? Guess I'll see ya in the mornin', den?" Sean said, shocked that even after a significantly more intimate time together than the last, Karen wouldn't stay with him. But he supposed that truly winning her over would take time and geniune affection. It would be a challenge, but Mr. Macguire never backed down from one. 


	2. The Man I Want to Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sean and Karen's relationship may have started over on a better note, but that doesn't mean she completely trusts him...yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was created while listening to Chris Young's "The Man I Want to Be", specifically these lines:
> 
> There's anyway for her and me to make another start  
Could you see what you could do  
To put some love back in her heart  
Cause' it going to take a miracle  
After all I've done to really make her see  
That I wanna be a stay man  
I wanna be a great man  
I wanna be the kind of man that she sees in her dreams  
God, I wanna be your man  
And I wanna be her man  
God, I only hope she still believes  
In the man I wanna be

Karen woke up the next morning trying to not think about the night with Sean. It would give her too much hope, turn her into an even bigger fool. Still, somewhere within her clung to hope that when he said the words "treat you like a wife", that he meant it. She always dreamt of being a true lady with a husband and a feather boa to dance with. But for now, she had to act like nothing happened. 

She followed through with Grimshaw's instructions from the night before, starting her chores early. Karen washed some of the camp's clothes and organized the supply cart. For once, Sean was helping haul grain across camp and other chores. Every once in a while, he would turn and wink at her, but nothing more. It was killing him to take things so slowly, but getting Karen to trust him again would be worth it. Sean wandered over to her.

"Ya' want any help, lass?" he asked hopefully. 

"No, thank you Sean," she politely — and uncharacteristically — responded. Karen's usual spunk was absent from her voice. It worried Sean a great deal. He would have rather been called an Irish arse or had her spit in his face. He hoped that he wasn't the total reason why she lacked color in her personality. It would kill him if he stole away her bubbly and fiery nature.

That evening, Javier was playing a few tunes on the guitar. The gang all sat around the campfire, singing and clapping along. Karen sat on a crate in a far corner. Sean walked over to it, bending down on one knee to be at her level. 

"I gotta say, Miss Jones, you don't look very good in blue," he quipped. 

Karen smiled, but only slightly. Sean tried to think of what to say next, leaving a strange silence between them. Finally, he mustered up the courage to say something.

"I was...so afraid." he said to her, diverting eye contact. 

Karen looked at him in confusion. "Afraid of...what?"

Sean's gaze still met the ground, shame blossoming in his gut. He didn't want to seem like a coward to Karen, but he wanted their relationship to be an honest one with no mixed signals. "Of not being able to see ya' again."

He finally looked up to see Karen's face, a look of surprise painted across it. Karen was stunned. For the second night in a row, Sean was opening up about his emotions without so much as a wisecrack. 

"When ya' told me dat ya' was cryin' fer me every night when I was being tortured, I felt so...relieved that I could come home to ya'. Then ya' tellin' me ya' didn't...it broke me heart. You're da' woman I love without a doubt. I only stuck it out for you. I would'a let dem kill me if it wasn't." 

Karen felt a pit in her stomach and tears bloom in her eyes. She never knew how much she really meant to him between all of his absurd behavior. She regretted how cruelly she had treated him upon his return, even if he was being a pushy ass. Still, Karen was a proud woman, and it was hard for her to admit when she was wrong. Instead, she opted for her usual response. 

"Well, let's go find a tent then..." she said, sighing. 

Sean took her hand in his, but didn't move to lead her anywhere or gloat with his signature Irish chuckle. Instead, he looked into her eyes. 

"Ta' tell ya' the truth, I'm always ready ta' have ya' and hold ya' all night long. But I only want it if you want it. I want ta' be a better man fer ya'." 

He paused, trying to read her reaction. It was still hard to tell, but he pushed on anyhow. 

  
"For now, may I...may I kiss you, Miss Jones?" Sean asked sweetly. 

She smiled at him, giving a small, carefree laugh. "Oh come on, you damn idiot." 

For once, Karen pulled him in for a kiss. She planted her lips on his, tasting a faint hint of whiskey and his favorite smokes. Karen's hands cupped his face, stroking his ginger stubble. She felt Sean's smile against her lips, merging with her in a different and more intimate way for once. 

Sean held back the desire to shove his tongue in her mouth or to give her a love bite. He took in the feeling of Karen stroking his face, loving the way she held on to his cheeks. It felt secure, as opposed to their normal spontaneous and unpredictable behavior. Even so, he hoped he could get a little more frisky with her again...

...in time. 


	3. Barely Hanging On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sean is still suffering from the after effects of his capture and torture, and takes it out on Karen.

Sean had fallen asleep during guard duty again. The bounty hunters had truly done a number on him, traumatizing him to the point where he couldn't sleep soundly at night and was plagued by nightmares. His teeth and gums ached from the abuse, some of his molars gone for good. Alcohol helped to keep the worst memories away, but only briefly. The only thing keeping him from falling completely in the dark was his love for Karen, even if she never returned it.

This wasn't the first time Hosea had kicked him when he took a daylight nap, but today the old man was furious. Hosea struck him repeatedly with surprisingly forceful kicks. Sean jerked awake, yelping with surprise. 

"I'm so sorry," he barked out, whining like an injured dog. Sean quickly sat up straight.   


"Boy, your lazy ass will be thrown in a pile of shit and left to the flies if you don't quit this nonsense," Hosea growled, ready to deliver one last kick. He was interrupted by a figure with blonde curls, wrapping herself around the red head in a surprising, swift tackle. 

"No! Please don't hurt him!" Karen cried, looking like she watched Hosea kick a child. 

Hosea actually hesitated. Seeing Karen care about Sean deeply enough to risk her own bruises reminded him of how loyal Bessie was to him. He lowered his leg, but still glared with rage at the young Irishman. "Don't do it again..." Hosea growled, and walked away. 

When Sean had the strength, he finally registered who had saved him from the final blow. He was awestruck. He soaked in the feeling Karen wrapping herself around him in a protective embrace, but was also embarrassed that she intervened. Sean felt weak and less of a man. Even so, he loved her too much to completely reject her expression of concern. 

"Thank you, Derryveagh," he whispered. "But ya' don't need ta' do dat. Don't want ya' gettin' walloped by old Hosea, too." 

Karen snorted. "He ain't nothin' compared to Grimshaw." 

Sean smiled at her, pulling her into his lap. Her amused expression quickly turned back to worry as she felt his hip bone poke her side. 

"You look and feel so scrawny..." she murmured with concern, tracing her finger along his cheekbone. 

"You're a stunner too, my dear," Sean quipped back. 

"I'm serious, Sean," she insisted. "Have you...been able to eat?" 

"Not much, but I've been feasting my weary eyes on a fireball blonde..." he said, chuckling lightly. 

"Not funny," she sternly replied. "You _need_ to eat."

"Ah been back fer a few weeks and ya' already try'n ta' fatten me up like a pig ta' slaughter," said Sean

Karen heard Grimshaw's voice hollering for her. "Coming!" she yelled back. Karen refocused on Sean for a moment. "We'll talk about this later."

"Not even a little kiss for your poor, neglected Irishman?" he teased, but only partially. Sean got his wish planted on his forehead before Karen left to do Grimshaw's bidding. 

When it hit sundown and Pearson left out a fresh batch of stew, Karen grabbed hers and watched Sean like a hawk while he was in line. He picked some up and went to sit in a quiet corner of camp. Pitifully, he took one or two bites. Karen saw him about to dump the rest of it out inconspicuously and intervened. 

"You need to eat more, Sean," she said as she grabbed his arm, stopping the dumping movement. 

"Ya' ain't gotta babysit me ya' know," Sean replied, an irritated growl in his voice. 

"Well, excuse me for trying to look out for you."

"I don't need lookin' out fer', lass."

"Oh, because you're doing _such_ a wonderful job of it right now," Karen snarled back. 

Between the pain and the need to feel in control of his life, Sean lashed out at her. "I ain't need your pity or anything else." 

The moment he said it, he regretted it. Karen's eyes flickered with rage. "Fine. Go fuck yourself." 

Sean tried to grab her arm to pull her back to him, but she swiftly yanked it from him, turning to slap him across the face. It struck him on the side that ached the most. He howled in pain and fell to the ground. Karen almost went to his side, regretting the additional pain he was going through, but remembered he didn't need her sympathy. Steaming with bitterness, she stormed off, leaving him behind. 

As his teeth and face throbbed, Sean already planned his next moves to prove to her that he _did_ need her. Fuck the opinion of the other men if it meant pushing Karen away from him. Sean managed to get himself up off the ground and went off to find her. 

Karen tried to think of things that he did that made her angry to avoid bursting into tears. She thought he had changed, but his stupid ego made him a bigger dick than ever. Karen found a tree stump on the edge of camp and sat on it, still hoping anger would soak up the sadness she felt. 

How long would she go on like this? Hanging on to his vague promises of being treated like a wife as a lead up towards being a real couple, a proper couple. A few tears slipped out of her eyes. Silently, she let them roll down. It felt oddly satisfying to allow them to come. She spent most of her life pushing down her real feelings, so any moment she could let her guard down was a wonderful one. 

Sean spotted Karen on the stump. She was slouched over, but barely moved. She looked like a statue with her light hair and skin, an outlaw Aphrodite. He took a risk and sat on the other edge of the stump, his back facing hers, hoping that he wouldn't be hit again. 

Karen didn't move. Her tears still fell, but she refused to turn and face him, to call him out on his bullshit. She wanted to scream at him, tell him to never come near her again, permanently this time. To forget about all of their past romps and to just get the hell away from her. But the way the warmth of his back on hers stalled the raging bull in her heart. 

Sean took in the feeling of her back on his, and then finally spoke. 

"I've...felt like less than a man after..." he began to admit, but couldn't finish the sentence. 

"That's no excuse to be an ass," Karen snapped, but didn't move to hit him or physically assault him in any way. 

"Of course not," he quickly added. "I'm the biggest Irish arse ya' could find, and I ain't even weigh much."

Sean hoped his joke would make her laugh, but Karen stayed silent. She may have laughed if he didn't look so sickly now. 

"You're back here, coming back around like a damn boomerang, and yet you aren't. It's like watching you and your promises fade away. I have hope, and then you go and disappear again." 

"Whaddya mean? I'm here and back! I survived me own torture." 

"That's it. You're still living like you're a prisoner, just surviving. Barely eating anything and acting like I'm the enemy when I'm trying to be like the so-called 'wife' you want to make me into. You pushed me away like I'm nothing to you. What's next? You gonna fuck me again and act like you love me and then be an ass again by morning? Spare me, if so. The Pinkertons send a clearer message than your dumbass. At least they go through with their promises." 

Karen abruptly stood from her spot on the trunk and walked away. Sean just sat there, stunned by how cutting and venomous Karen could be when scorned. In the past, he'd make a move, she'd slap him and call him awful things, but they wouldn't affect him nearly as badly. After all, he put on a show of confidence for her, a ruse. But everything she said this time? He _was _just barely hanging on. He _had_ treated her poorly and was inconsistent with her. He felt out of control, lost in the camp he thought he knew well. 

So he decided to go with the gang to meet up with the Grays in Rhodes the next morning to prove that he was still just as capable as ever. Maybe when he returned a stronger-looking man, she'd be ready to talk to him again. 


	4. The Life You Deserve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sean returns from Rhodes a different man. But, not really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter! Hoping to crank out longer ones as time goes on, but it's been helping to be consistent with short bursts. :)

The eerie, calm nature of the town of Rhodes quickly turned into gunfire. The first shot grazed Sean, knocking off his ear. Blood instantly spurted from his wound as he buckled to the ground. The rest of the gang fired at the snipers as they guarded Sean's injuried form whimpering on the ground. Arthur helped him crawl to safety behind a carriage, protecting the rest of him from gunshots. 

Sean felt lightheaded, dizzy, and in intense pain, so much so that he passed out on the ground. When the gunfire was over, they quickly scooped him up and brought back the bloodied, limp Sean to camp. His hair was matted with scarlet crusts of blood, making his hair look fiery orange in the sunlight. They laid him on a cot inside of the supply tent, his unconscious state and shallow breathing made Karen believe he was dead. 

"No!" she screamed, dropping a load of freshly cleaned shirts to the ground and making a dash for Sean. Before any of the men could stop her, she flung herself on top of him, sobbing. 

"He ain't dead, Karen," Arthur assured her.

"Yet..." snorted Micah. 

"Shut yer goddam mouth, Micah!" snarled Arthur. Micah simply chuckled and walked away. Arthur bent down to awkwardly comfort Karen, patting her back. "The boah's alright, but he lost an ear. It's gonna take time for him to be hopping around camp like a lost puppy again."

Karen nodded, but didn't look away from Sean. She kept stroking his cheek, his stubble creating a light scratching noise as her thumb drifted across it. 

It was morning before he came to. Karen hadn't left his side, pulling her bedroll into the tent with him. He groaned in agony as he woke up, not noticing his lover laying by his side. 

"Ah need sum damn whiskey..." he murmured in pain, touching his hand to his bandage that wrapped around his forehead and where his right ear used to be. He could still only hear out of his left ear, maybe permanently. Sean was startled by the feeling of a full body embrace. Blonde curls lay across his chest, his left arm squeezed desperately. 

"This is proof that you hate me," Karen said through tears. "Coming back to me like this, looking like a corpse when you know it would kill me to see you like this." 

"Ain't nottin' but a scratch," Sean chuckled in pain, both physically and emotionally. He just caused her so much anguish yesterday, and couldn't go through with his original plan to come back a stronger man. If anything, he was even worse. Even so, she still held him, her head on his chest. 

"I hate you...I hate you..." she murmured over and over again, still sobbing onto his chest, his shirt wet from her tears. 

"Ah'd rather hear dat den never hearing yer sweet voice again any day," said Sean, his hand finding one of her curls to play with gently as tears welled in his eyes too. "Ah don't deserve ya', but I'll always be yer fookin' boomerang, whether ya' want me er' not." 

Karen looked up from his chest and into his green eyes. "I guess that's all I can ask for," she said, putting a hand on his scruffy cheek before kissing him gently, worried he may shatter if she pressed any harder. Sean urgently pressed into her kiss, sloppy and needy. He almost faced death today, and he was convinced she could give him life again. And with healing and time, he wanted to give her the life she deserved.


	5. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karen convinces Sean to eat more food with unconventional rewards. Pretty PG chapter, no smut this time, but bigger developments!

It took time for Sean to recover, but every moment she could, Karen was at his bedside. His hearing had improved, but not enough to make a full recovery. He used it as an excuse to be even louder than he normally was. 

"MORNIN' TO YA', LASS!" he would proclaim as she brought him some breakfast, sitting impatiently on the end of the bed. 

She groaned and suppressed the grin that could have revealed her true feelings. Not that it made any sense considering just weeks ago she was openly crying over him and his bloodied body. He loudly demanded a kiss every morning and night, this morning included. 

"I ain't kissin' shit," she replied. 

"No, ya'd be kissin' me," he smirked.

"What's the difference?"

"Oh lass, don't be like dat now. Just kiss me lips, me forehead, MacGuire Jr..." 

"You're asking for this stew to 'accidentally' drop on your crotch." 

"Now, now, that's no way to treat a wounded warrior." 

"And how should I be treating you?"

"Kisses." 

"On your ass?" 

"If you'd like, me tigeress." 

Karen reached around and playfully tapped his behind. She was saddened by how bony, how malnourished Sean still was. The last time she brought it up, he snapped at her. That was the night before the accident, when she almost lost him. 

Sean noticed how quiet she had gotten. His heart still stung from the way she fired back at him that night, no matter how badly he deserved it. 

"If ya' kiss me, I'll take a bite." Sean bargained. 

Karen leaned down and kissed his forehead and then shoved stew into his mouth. Sean whined, clearly expecting lip-to-lip action. 

"Come taste Pearson's stew, Lamb." Sean flirted. 

Karen rolled her eyes and pecked him gently on the lips. Sean still whimpered as she put more of the stew into his mouth. 

"I don't think you got enough of a taste," he said, but Karen just kept putting more stew in his mouth. He needed his strength back and if he wasn't taking it seriously, then she would. She got him to eat half of the bowl. He refused to eat any more, even with the promise of a more passionate kiss. 

"Well..." mumbled Karen. "I suppose you still earned this."

She leaned down and cupped the sides of his bony face. The sound of his beard scratching against her face was a welcome sound. He reached for her curls, tugging them gently as he took in her kiss. When they parted, they both quietly looked at each other. 

Sean, as usual, was the first to break the silence. "Tank ya'." 

"For what?" 

"Fer takin' care o' me, o' course! Even after Ah was..." 

Sean paused, wondering if mentioning it would cause her to walk out of the tent. Karen didn't let him finish. 

"Don't worry about it." 

She sat next to him, but he insisted on having her in his lap. Karen sighed and carefully placed herself on him, wrapping her arms around him. Sean didn't gloat at his victory, behaving himself. He simply looked up at her, thankful she still cared for him. His next statement was impulsive, but nonetheless sincere. 

"Marry me, Karen."

Karen looked down at him, convinced he was still joking. "Oh hush." 

"On me Pa's grave, Ah want ya' ta' marry me." 

"You don't know what you're saying. You're still recovering."

Sean had a wild look in his eye. "Ah tellin' ya', Ah mean it. Ole' Duffy an' Mary-Beth got hitched, John an' Abigail, we should be ta' next ones."

Karen stared at him in disbelief. Sure, he had said things that implied marriage at some point, but not so soon. "It's a little sudden, don't you think?"

"Ah almost lost a life wit' you once, Ah won't risk it again." Sean insisted, pulling her left hand down to his lips to kiss it. "Ah said Ah want ya' as me wife. Ah'll spend ta' rest of me life makin' meself ta' man ya' deserve, Ms. Jones. Ah won't even make ya' take me name. Ah jus' want ya'." 

Karen couldn't look him in the eye, or she'd start crying. He just kept kissing her hand, hoping she'd say yes to him. "On one condition."

Sean's head snapped up. "Anyting ya' desire." 

"Finish the rest of this stew."

Sean chuckled. "Yer a cruel, demandin' mistress, Ms. Jones."

"If you do, I might agree to be Mrs. MacGuire." 

Sean swigged the rest of the stew like a shot of whiskey and then pulled her in for a kiss. When they parted, Sean looked into her eyes, waiting for her answer. Karen betrayed her own vow to not cry. She nodded her head as the tears fell onto her cheeks. With newfound strength, he dipped her in his arms and kissed her again, letting his own tears fall and mix with hers.


	6. Rings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sean has his bubble burst when Charles points out he still needs to get Karen a ring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter = that romantic smutty content ya need. Enjoy the build-up!

As much as Sean wanted to burst out of the tent and run out to camp to tell them about their engagement, Karen made him stay on the cot for a while longer. He wasn't as fragile as before, but he still needed time to recover. 

The moment Sean was allowed to, he told every single person in camp, whether they wanted to hear it or not. 

"Yeah, but where's the ring?" asked Charles once Sean got to him. 

"Marston ain't got Abigail no ring!" 

"True, but it's a nice gesture. Doesn't Karen always say she was meant to be a lady? A lady gets a ring out of the deal. Besides, Kieran already raised the bar with Mary-Beth. " 

Sean huffed and pouted, but knew Charles was right. He had to find a ring for Karen somehow. And it couldn't be in the way he knew how — scamming and robbing wasn't what the husbands of ladies did. 

"Well, what's an honest lad's way of gettin' a ring?" 

Charles smiled. "Well, you could help me with hunting for the gang. You could sell the hides for a little extra cash." 

"...Fine." he agreed. Sean wished he had come up with something that could make money faster, but doing it the honest man's way was the way Karen deserved, even if it was going to take forever. It wouldn't be the greatest ring either, but it would due until he had something more permanent . 

But getting to the wedding would take forever as well. Proper ladies waited months for big, extravagant events, but Sean and Karen agreed they could only last a months tops. She told him she wanted to feel like a "proper lady" and wouldn't let him touch her again until their wedding night. Sean respected her wishes, though watching Karen walk around camp with her signature sashay made him hornier than usual. Karen teased him, shaking her behind as she passed him. 

It was strenous, but Sean got a decent ring just in time. 

Karen's eyes flickered with joy when he got down on one knee to give it to her, but then just as quickly burnt out with distrust. "Who'd you steal it from?" 

"Ah ain't steal nottin'! Ah got honest for ya', honest ta' God. Ask Charles if ya' ain't believe me." 

Karen still had a look of disbelief in her eyes. Sean took her reluctant hand and placed the ring on her finger, kissing it. "Ya' know how many gottam hides Ah had ta' sell fer 'dis? Yer torturin' me so, lass." 

Karen allowed herself to rest easy and smile. She bent down and kissed him. They nearly broke the no-touch agreement even further, but she stopped him. He pouted, but nodded. It was just one more day. Then they'd be married. 

The day of, Sean's knees nearly gave out as she walked towards him in her handmade wedding dress. He blubbered like a baby. Karen laughed at him, but also began to cry. Swanson cleared his throat, bringing their attention to the vows. The gang stood around them throughout the ceremony and whistled when Sean kissed his bride a little too voraciously. But neither of them cared. Let them stare, let them jeer. Sean kept his promise to Karen. She wasn't a lady by society's standards, but Karen was Sean's lady, his love, his wife at last.


	7. Consummation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sean and Karen enjoy their wedding night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a solid E and NSFW. Not terribly explicit, but enough to make me put this as a warning. I'm thinking this series will stop here, but I'll be making more one-shots in a collection like I do for Kieran and Mary-Beth, so stay tuned!

After dancing and drinking all night, the couple was more exhausted than expected. Maybe they were just getting old. At this point, Karen no longer cared about adhering to tradition and Sean didn't argue with her about it, either. They wrapped up together in a blanket, not bothering to take off their wedding clothes. Karen gave her husband a kiss goodnight, which he enthusiastically reciprocated. She brushed her hand across his cheek and over where his ear once was. His hearing was still off, but by some miracle, Sean still managed to get around fine. Karen was certain that wouldn't stop him from milking it, though.

Sure enough, when they woke the next morning, Sean was eager to consummate their union. She awoke to him rubbing her arm and kissing her cheek. 

"Mornin' ta' ya', wife," he greeted her, squeezing her arm. 

"Hrmm..." Karen sleepily replied. 

"Der's somethin' we need ta' do, ya' know."

Karen was still exhausted, but willing as long as she didn't have to do any of the work. That was more than alright with Sean. She turned and laid on her stomach. Sean unbuttoned her dress and sloppily kissed her skin. 

"Beautiful. Stunning. Goddess." he murmured between kisses. 

"I ain't taking anything off and I ain't helping you in." she grumbled. 

"No need fer it, girl." Sean whispered. His hand snuck up her skirt and pulled aside her bloomers just enough to expose her to him. He gently lifted her skirt a little more and aligned himself with her. Sean lowered himself on top of her back, grabbing her hand in his. His still bony — but improving — torso was warm and welcome weight on her back. Karen gave a small grin as he brought her hand to his mouth to kiss it. 

"Ready fer me, darlin'?" 

Karen simply squeezed his hand as a yes. Sean slid inside of her, the tightness between her legs making him shudder and groan. Karen adored the sound he made above her. His head rested beside her neck as he grinded into her, finding a moderate pace to start off with. Sean kissed her cheek, nibbled on her ear, and whispered sweet things into her ear as he took her. 

"Mrs. MacGuire..." he kept repeating, his thrusts getting more exuberant. Karen felt something warm and wet trickling down her face. She turned her head up slightly to find her new husband crying silent tears into her hair. Karen pulled his hand and guided his face towards hers. She kissed him passionately, tasting the salted tears on his face. Her own mixed with his. Sean stopped his rhythm and removed himself from her, turning her over to face him. 

"Ah need ta' see ya' eyes, Mrs. MacGuire," he pleaded. 

Karen pulled his red hair towards her face and kissed him, opening herself to him. Sean reentered her as she cupped his face in her hands. "I love it when you call me that." 

"Dats yer name now, ain't it?" he said, smiling down at her while pumping. "But Ah miss callin' ya' Miss Jones." 

"Why not both? It's like you'll have two different women." 

"Sounds like ya' already made plans fer ta' anniversary..." 

Karen lightly smacked him, but laughed along with her love. Sean resumed his mission shortly after, looking deep into Karen's eyes. He still made odd faces during sex, but Karen would worry about that later. At the moment, she was pleasantly surprised by how close she was getting, Sean grinding against her in a way that brought the both of them pleasure. She placed her hands on his clothed back, digging her nails into his suit as he groaned into her ear. The sounds he made alongside the perfect amount of pressure guided her into a rumbling orgasm beneath him. Sean kissed her, still letting tears roll from his eyes. Breaking the kiss, he rolled over into orgasm as well, grabbing and squeezing Karen's hand as he cried out. Pieces of his hair stuck on his forehead from the sweat, others from his tears. 

"Mrs. MacGuire, Ah'm a damn lucky bastard. Don't let me forget it." said Sean, resting his head beside hers. 

Karen rubbed his back, patting it in encouragement. "Not a chance in hell, Mr. MacGuire."


End file.
